REMINISCENCES 



leave the forests, and to recruit his health in a 

 favourable climate. After a few days with me, 

 however, W. picked up again, lost his fever, and 

 gave up all idea of the medical board, deciding 

 instead to accompany me in my forest wanderings, 

 and, as soon as I was well enough to do so, we 

 started for a forest-lodge twenty-two miles off. 



As a convenient travellers' bungalow intervened 

 at Maddur, nine miles from Goondulpet, and 

 thirteen from the lodge of Molubollay for which 

 we were bound, we broke the journey there. 

 Leaving the Maddur bungalow after dinner one 

 night W. in a country cart and myself in my 

 bullock-coach, our baggage carts, my pony dog- 

 cart, and our retainers in procession we set out 

 to traverse the remaining thirteen miles during 

 the night, while sleeping comfortably on our 

 mattresses and pillows. 



I am a sound sleeper as my better half (who 

 often says that she does not know what she should 

 do if anything were to occur which might require 

 my being suddenly aroused) can testify but at 

 about 2 a.m. on this march I was aware of W.'s 

 exhorting me to get up, and to get out my big 

 rifle, as there was a brute of an elephant on the 

 road, which though the cart-men had been shout- 

 ing at him would not clear out. W. had his rifle 

 in hand, and was ready for the fray, and it did not 

 take me long to get my 8-bore rifle case from under 

 my bed in the coach, put the weapon together, and 

 load it. 



The procession of vehicles had halted, and W. 



45 



